Fire Prevention Week: Red Cross, Jones County fire department share home safety tips

The Red Cross and Jones County Fire Department encourage families to practice escape routes, choose a meeting place outside and test smoke alarms monthly.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – During Fire Prevention Week, the American Red Cross and Jones County Fire Department are reminding families to have a plan in place before a home fire happens.

The Red Cross says a home fire can happen quickly, and families may have less than two minutes to escape.

Suzanne Lawler, communications manager with the Red Cross, recommends families have two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window. She also says families should practice their escape plans and make sure children know what a smoke alarm sounds like.

“You may only have two minutes to get out of your home during a house fire,” she said. “So practice your plan. When that beep goes off, that loud beep, make sure they know what it is.”

Jones County Fire Department Operations Chief Gregory Beni says Fire Prevention Week is an opportunity to remind families about what to do if a fire starts.

Beni recommends families leave the home rather than trying to put out a fire. He also says people should shut doors as they leave if a fire is contained to one room and know where they will meet once they are outside.

“Teach the family as they’re leaving out of the house, don’t really try to put the fire out,” he said. “Shut doors. If you got a fire contained to one room, you shut the door, get out of the house. When you do get out of the house, know where to meet once you do get outside.”

As temperatures begin to drop, Beni is also reminding residents to use space heaters safely. He recommends unplugging space heaters when leaving a room or the house.

Lawler says families should test their smoke alarms every month and replace them when they reach about 10 years old.

“Seven people a day die because of home fires,” she said. “You can cut your risk of dying by 50 percent by having a working smoke alarm.”

Beni says the Jones County Fire Department also visits homes to look for potential fire hazards, check smoke alarms and go over fire escape plans with families.

The Red Cross says it has responded to more than 1,800 home fires in Georgia since the beginning of 2026, helping more than 7,000 people.

Fire Prevention Week runs October 4-10.